Some might not consider it that big a deal, but one California city is planning to raise a Chinese flag over their city as a symbol of honor and openness to Chinese people and businesses living in their community.

Despite the objections of residents and human rights groups, the city council of San Leandro, Calif., decided in a 4-3 vote to fly the flag over its city hall Oct. 1 to honor “the formation of the sovereign state in 1949 by communist leader Mao Zedong…

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“Raising the flag gives us the opportunity to show the openness to the people of China, the business people of China, to show that we welcome that investment and we welcome the prosperity,” [Councilman Benny] Lee said, according to the San Jose Mercury News.